On Christmas Eve, we wait. It is a time of reflection and anticipation as we prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace. In this practice of waiting, there is hope. Throughout the Advent season, we recognize Christ as a light in the darkness, a reminder that what is now will not always be. The miracle of Jesus’s birth gives us hope for a new kind of world to come; one that is full of joy, of justice, and of true peace.

In today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, I am always struck by the moment when the shepherds are visited by the angel announcing the birth of Jesus. The shepherds are afraid. I can’t blame them–– I imagine being visited by such an overwhelming and divine presence would be rather frightening! And yet, the shepherds are moved to faithfully follow the word of this Good News (Luke 2:10) which leads them to a child in a manger.

What a beautiful sentiment. Fear does not overwhelm them, because of their trust in God. What lessons might each of us be able to take from this on Christmas Eve as we await the birth of the Prince of Peace? For me, it serves as a reminder that the work of faithful peacebuilding is steady even in the moments that seem darkest and devoid of hope. 

And yet, I cannot fathom all the things children in Palestine are waiting for. For more than two months, I have prayed every day for a child in Palestine whose name I received through the Let Children Live campaign. I do not know where in the occupied Palestinian territories he lives, or how. I often wonder if he is in a tent in Gaza, or a refugee camp in the West Bank. I wonder what kind of person he will grow up to be. When I pray for Amer (age 1), I try to imagine some of the things he might be waiting for, and ask that they be delivered unto him: